A man’s leg is slashed during a brawl, resulting in a very serious injury.
Knives are easy to conceal and can be introduced into a fight without warning.
Category: Other Factors
Male violence and gendered violence
There is a popular belief in Australia that domestic violence, and violence generally, is getting worse. However:
If homicide is the yardstick by which the level of violence in society is measured, then the belief that violence is increasing in Australia cannot be substantiated.
https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi359
Most discussion has centred around women as victims of homicide, however, men account for about 70% of homicide victims. Over the last 30 years, all homicide has been falling.
Women are certainly over-represented in intimate partner homicide, but these numbers are falling along with the overall count:
The likely cause of the drop is due to the following factors:
- Improved socio-economic conditions, including employment opportunities, better education, economic stability
- Public health initiatives to address mental health issues and substance abuse – we know that people with mental health drug abuse issues are over represented as homicide offenders
- Demographic changes, because we have an aging population who is less likely to commit crime
- Improved law enforcement and judicial response, with more effective strategies, crime solving, community policing and prevention measures assisted by technological advancements
Further pursuing these issues will ensure that homicide continues to fall; conversely, a decline in our standard of living, and public health services, could result in more violence in the long term.
Also missing from the conversation is the fact that men are victims of male violence at a higher rate. If we want to prevent the murder of women, we have to protect men also.
All these points and more are discussed in the above video.
Two vs one – counter punches and leg kicks
A man – who VERY likely has a kickboxing background – successfully counter punches when attacked and uses a leg kick to discourage a second attacker.
Talk on the internet suggests this happened at an animal shelter in Ireland, however this is not confirmed.
Police officer stabbed to death moments after arriving on scene – Las Cruces PD
A stark and horrifying example of two things:
- The danger posed by knives, even when we are armed with a gun – you CAN bring a knife to a gun fight and win if you’re close enough.
- Not all situations involving mental health issues can be de-escalated verbally. Police have often been criticised in the media for shooting within seconds of arriving at the scene – this incident demonstrates the kind of situation which can lead to that happening.
Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez was stabbed to death while responding to a trespassing call at the 300 block of South Valley Drive in Las Cruces.
A witness to the stabbing shot the suspect while another witness called 911 for help.
Officer Hernandez was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center where he died from a knife wound to his neck.
The subject had a lengthy criminal record and mental illness.
Officer Hernandez had served with the Las Cruces Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife and two sons.
7 vs 1 fight at a pool
A good illustration of the concepts I explained in this video.
- Rapid target switching
- Position and angles
- Range management
Terrible strategy on behalf of the group. All attacked from the front, terrible angles, hovered at the end of his striking range, did not close distance, did not control position.
Man taken to ground in street fight, brutal armbar follows
According to the source of the video on Reddit, this fight started after the drunken older man had been arguing with a group for about 10 minutes and was given many chances to leave.
The man wearing the ADCC hoodie (Abu Dhabi Combat Club, a prestigious submission grappling tournament) kicked off his footwear shortly before the video starts. Then:
Strikes -> clinch -> takedown -> mount -> armbar -> head stomps from armbar -> mount -> elbows.
Bystanders offered to call an ambulance for the older man following the fight, however he refused and kept saying that a bunch of “homeless guys” had attacked him.
As I’ve explained in a previous post, the standing vs ground debate is a red herring. Sometimes going to the ground is the optimal strategy, sometimes it’s not. In all cases, grappling skills are necessary whether you want to stay standing or not.
Saying “never go to the ground in a street fight” is idiotic, and at best a misguided oversimplification.
In this instance, the man who performed the armbar was not jumped by a group, was not stabbed, there was no glass and AIDS needles and lava on the ground.
It also starkly illustrates the effectiveness of join locks. This is not a submission, he did not wait for his victim to tap. He just destroyed that arm.
None of this is to say that his behaviour was justified, that’s up for you to decide. Where I live, it would be considered excessive and serious charges would follow. Make sure you understand local laws before using force.
Man shot by police while holding woman hostage with machete
3 vs 1 fight, and nunchucks make an appearance
The limits of pain compliance
Pain compliance is quite literally the use of pain as a method to achieve compliance, and discourage resistance and aggressive behaviour. It’s an integral part of any police use of force continuum policies. However, its effectiveness varies greatly depending on the individual’s pain tolerance, mental state, and the intensity of the situation.
Individuals under the influence of drugs, experiencing a mental health crisis, or in a state of excited delirium might not respond as expected to pain compliance techniques. Adrenaline and other physiological factors can significantly diminish pain perception, leading to less effectiveness in gaining compliance and potentially escalating the situation to more extreme uses of force.
Pain compliance is not a substitute for physical control. It should not be seen as a primary strategy but rather a part of a broader set of tactics aimed at safely controlling and detaining individuals.
It’s crucial for law enforcement to have a clear objective when employing pain compliance and to be prepared to shift tactics if it’s not effective.
Continuous application of pain without gaining control can be perceived as excessive and lead to public scrutiny and distrust. In extreme cases, it can lead to serious injury and death, particularly when the subject is of poor health.
Training, skills, fitness and teamwork are the only answer.
The public’s perception of pain compliance is increasingly critical. With widespread access to information and a growing emphasis on police accountability, the use of force is under more scrutiny than ever. Law enforcement agencies need to ensure their personnel are well-trained in a variety of techniques, understand the implications of their actions, and are capable of making judicious decisions in the heat of the moment.
In conclusion, while pain compliance can be a part of law enforcement’s toolkit, it should be used judiciously and in conjunction with other tactics aimed at safely and efficiently resolving confrontations. Continuous training, public engagement, and a commitment to ethical practices are vital in maintaining public trust and ensuring the safety of both officers and those they serve.